Gillian Macleod

I came to Queenstown in 1978 as a graduate from the class of '77 University of Auckland, and worked for John Blair for 5 years before embarking upon my own residential practice. The kiwi wanderlust took my husband and I to London for a few years and upon returning we started a family and several businesses including a foray into the fledgling film industry providing location vehicles which we continue to this day.
For a brief time in the '90's I was happily involved with Jackie Gillies in the Bathhouse Studio Architects where we operated from a gorgeous converted (by Jackie)Bathhouse on the Wakatipu Lakefront , but I reluctantly relinquished the lease when I found I was pregnant with my fourth child.
In 2001 I was elected to the QLDC district Council where as Chair of Strategy and Planning I was involved in trying to resolve a hugely complicated District Plan, the fairly new RMA, and unprecedented growth in Queenstown. This amazing challenge led me to revisit Auckland University in 2011 and 2012 where I gained a Masters in Urban Design(Hons).
I continue to design houses but am convinced the future lies in creating denser and richer urban housing that enables a true sense of community.